Have you ever seen MythBusters, that science experiment show on the Discovery Channel? It’s the one where the show's hosts, special effects experts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, test the validity of commonly held notions and myths from movie scenes, adages, Internet videos, and news stories. My family loves this show. There is just something really cool about watching some long-held idea debunked right before your eyes.
Well, I may not be a scientist or a special effects expert,
but I am a Jewish Special Educator. And
there are many myths about special education. So here is my version of
Jewish Special Education MythBusters.
Myth #1: Students
with special needs and disabilities can’t learn Hebrew.
It is a misconception that all students with learning
challenges struggle enough learning to read English and should not even try to
learn Hebrew. While it is true that
children who have difficulty with their primary language may encounter similar
struggles when learning
a second language, some children have a natural propensity toward language
acquisition, even if they have a learning disability. Hebrew, in many situations, is taught
traditionally. Read & repeat
exercises that require children to sit still and wait their turn are
common. Employing multi-sensory strategies
that cater to a wide variety of learning styles can enable all students to
learn Hebrew in ways that meet their individual needs.
Myth #2: Special
Education (or inclusion) holds back the “other” students
A classroom rich with activities to meet students at their
current level of functioning maximizes all students’ potential for
success. It is a misnomer that having
different expectations for different students within in the same classroom
isn't fair. This is just wrong. Students should not be compared to one
another or to an arbitrary level of expectation. All students should be working toward
progress from their current level of functioning. When this is done successfully, no student is
“held back” or exposed to less challenging content that he or she is capable of
encountering.
Myth #3: Special
Education is just a watered down curriculum.
The strength of special education is in individualizing instruction, which
is not a watered down curriculum.
Modifying teaching strategies and offering multi-sensory activities does
not compromise the content. Rather, it
is a way to ensure that all students can be exposed to and grapple with the
same content in a way that is both meaningful and productive. Part 2 of Jewish Special Education MythBusters.
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